METHOD AND SYSTEM TO IMPLEMENT A QUASI-USER INTERFACE FOR APPLICATIONS ON AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20150058760A1
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Puthenveettil, Dipin Kollencheri
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and system to implement a quasi-user interface to manage application state transitions by activating quasi-states on an electronic device is disclosed. The method allows a user to maintain the activated quasi-states for an application for the duration determined by the presence of an object within the proximity on the electronic device. The quasi-state activated applications can be switched between a quasi-state and a non-quasi-state supported on the electronic device. Further, the method deactivates the quasi-states and the quasi-user interface when the object is lifted away from the proximity of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method to implement quasi-user interface for applications on an electronic device, the method comprising:

activating a quasi-state for at least one application in response to detecting a user-action performed on said electronic device;

maintaining said quasi-state of said at least one application to be in said quasi-state for a duration determined based on a presence of an object within proximity of said electronic device; and

deactivating said quasi-state of said at least one application when the object is lifted away from said proximity of said electronic device.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said quasi-state is at least one of:

a quasi-foreground state and a quasi-background state.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising invoking said quasi-user interface for an application of said electronic device when said quasi-state is activated.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising managing said quasi-user interface for said at least one application by activating said quasi-state.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises managing state transitions between said quasi-state and a non-quasi-state.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said non-quasi-state is at least one of:

a foreground state, a background state and a visible state.

7. The method as in claim 4, further comprising displaying said at least one application in one of said quasi-state on said quasi-user interface.

8. The method as in claim 5, further comprising allowing a user to switch said at least one application between said quasi-state and said non-quasi state by performing said user-action.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein deactivating said quasi-state of said at least one application comprises switching a quasi-background state of said at least one application to a foreground state in response to detecting the object being lifted away from said proximity.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein deactivating said quasi-state of said at least one application comprises switching a quasi-foreground state of said at least one application to a background state in response to detecting the object being lifted away from said proximity.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein said user-action comprises a gesture performed over the application user interface of said electronic device.

12. An apparatus configured to implement quasi-user interface for applications on an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit further comprising at least one processor;

at least one memory comprising computer program code;

wherein the at least on processor is configured to execute the program code to cause the apparatus to;

activate a quasi-state for at least one application in response to detecting a user-action performed on said electronic device;

maintain said quasi-state of said at least one application to be in said quasi-state for a duration determined based on a presence of an object within proximity of said electronic device; and

deactivate said quasi-state of said at least one application when the object is lifted away from said proximity of said electronic device.

13. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said quasi-state is at least one of:

a quasi-foreground state and a quasi-background state.

14. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the at least on processor is further configured to execute the program code to cause the apparatus to invoke said quasi-user interface for an application of said electronic device when said quasi-state is activated.

15. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the at least on processor is further configured to execute the program code to cause the apparatus to manage said quasi-user interface of said at least one application by activating said quasi-state.

16. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the at least on processor is further configured to execute the program code to cause the apparatus to manage state transitions between said quasi-state and a non-quasi-state.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said non-quasi-state is at least one of:

a foreground state, a background state and a visible state.

18. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the at least on processor is further configured to execute the program code to cause the apparatus to display said at least one application in one of said quasi-state on said quasi-user interface.

19. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the at least on processor is further configured to execute the program code to cause the apparatus to allow a user to switch said at least one application between said quasi-state and said non-quasi state by performing said user-action.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by at least one processor, causes an electronic device to:

activate a quasi-state for at least one application in response to detecting a user-action performed on said electronic device;

maintain said quasi-state of said at least one application to be in said quasi-state for a duration determined based on a presence of an object within proximity of said electronic device; and

deactivate said quasi-state of said at least one application when the object is lifted away from said proximity of said electronic device.